Ice-skating rink



Jan. 12, 1954 R. J. YOCUM ICE-SKATING RINK Filed July 11, 1949 O on INVEN TOR.

IZSUBEN J. YOCl/M Patented Jan. 12, 1954 Q UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEICE-SKATING RINK Reuben J. Yocum, Omaha, Nebr. Application July 11,1949, Serial No. 104,018-- 13 Claims. (01. 62-12).

This invention relates to improvements in iceskating rinks or the likeand is concerned more particularly with the provision of novel means formarking the skating surface Olf such rinks, such means being alsoadapted for ilhuninating' such skating rinks and imparting attractivedecorative effects thereto.

It has been the customary practice to provide the necessary marked areasfor ice-skating rinks, such as hockey rinks, by painting lines or otherdesired configuration directly on the ice or on the floor which supportsthe ice. Such markings are difficult for the players as well as thespectators to see and become particularly obscured, after skates havechipped and roughened the surface of the ice.

It is an object of the present invention to avoid the foregoingdisadvantages and to provide a novel marking arrangement for ice-skatingrinks which will be readily visible to the players and ice-skating rinksand for providing decorative and attractive designs particularly usefulfor spectator ice-skating shows, such means being adapted for use aloneor in cooperation with other means of illumination such as the under icelighting arrangement which forms the subject matter of my prior PatentNo. 2,457,619.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparentfrom the following detailed description taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings wherein a preferred embodiment of the principlesof the invention has been selected for exemplification.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of an ice hockey rink embodying the improvementsof the present invention and. illustrated in fragment;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse section and partly broken away takenalong the line 2--2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse section takenalong the line 33 of Fig.1 and partly broken away; and

Fig. 4 illustrates in enlarged transverse section partly broken away amodification of the construction shown in Figs. 1-3.

Referring more particularly to the drawings wherein like numerals referto like parts, ID indicates in its entirety a one-half section of aconventional ice hockey rink, it being understood that the remainingsection is a duplication of that shown. The rink H3 is provided with theusual end boards I 2 and side boards I4, player boxes l5 and penalty boxit. The goal cage is indicated at at. illustrative purposes only andform no part of the present invention.

The various hockey rink markings, with which the present invention isimmediately concerned, comprise the goal lines 22 and goal creases 24,the parallel zone lines 26, the penalty shot lines 2.8, the centerface-off mark 38 and special spots 3!. The goal lines and. crease, thepenalty shot lines and the face-off marks are usually red in color and.the remaining markings usually ultramarine blue- The lines ordinarilyare from two to twelve inches in width.

It is the concept of the present invention to delineate theforegoingmarkings either in whole or in part by strips of material having lightconducting properties as, for example, methyl methacrylate resin, onepopular form of which is presently manufactured and sold under thedesignation Lucite. Such a strip of material is indicated at 3.2 in Fig.2 and, as shown, such strip 32 maybe supported on the rink floor 34 andburied beneath the ice layer 35. A source of light for each strip 32 maybe provided in a recessed portionzof' the rink sidewall and endwall suchas indicated at 38'. The lamps 38 may be disposed at either one or bothends of the strip 32 and are positioned. in such a manner that lightfrom such source is conducted throughout the length of the strips 32 soas to be visible from the surface of the ice. The intensity of the lightmay be varied at will from a soft glow visibly to indicate the markingto a bright light to illuminate the rink or the performers thereon. Thecolor desired may be provided by appropriate selection of the color ofthe stripor at the light source or both.

As is apparent, certain of the markings above referred to are notintended to extend the full width of the rink and; to provide for suchmarkcontemplates the expedient illustrated in Fig. 3 wherein acontinuous strip 40' is provided similar to that indicated at 32 butprovided with sheathing of metal'or opaque coating 42' to blank out theportions thereof which are not intended to form apart or the rinkmarkings but leaving exposed those portions through which the light maybe visible to indicate the marked area.

It will be understood of course, that a strip section could well beprovided of the exact length or configuration of such irmer rinkmarkings as Such parts are included for the penalty shot lines 28 andthe light source could be disposed adjacentsuch strips directly underthe ice. It is usually desirable, however, to recess the light sourcesbeyond the periphery of the rink, as shown, so as to shield the ice fromthe emitted heat.

In the modified construction shown in Fig. 4, the ice-skating rinkcomprises a floor of glass or other light transmitting material 44 whichsupports refrigerant tubes 48 preferably also of light transmittingmaterial and the usual ice layer 36. In such modified construction, thestrips of light transmitting material 48 and the light sources 50therefor may be disposed beneath the glass floor and supported on themain flooring indicated at 52.

The invention contemplates that the novel illuminating strips hereinillustrated and described may be used alone to provide any desired rinkmarkings or may be used on conjunction with the conventional paint orother opaque material. illuminating strips herein disclosed anddescribed may be used in conjunction with direct under ice illuminationsuch as the neon or other gaseous tubes disclosed in my prior Patent No.2,457,619. In a convenient adaptation, the luminous strips of thepresent invention which emit a minimum of heat may be employed in anydesired patterns to provide rink illumination of long duration togetherwith the gaseous tubes of the said patent to provide specialillumination of relatively short duration for various acts of iceskating entertainment shows.

It will be understood that the present invention is not confined to theparticular constructions and arrangements herein described andillustrated but is limited only by the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. An ice skating rink comprising, a skating surface, refrigeratingmeans for said skating surface, a source of light adjacent the boundaryof said surface and strips of light conducting material positionedbeneath and extending transversely of said skating surface to conveylight from said source to selected areas of said rink.

2. The rink of claim 1 wherein the strips are of synthetic resinousmaterial.

3. The rink of claim 2 wherein the material of the strips is a methylmethacrylate resin.

4. An ice hockey rink comprising, a door, a layer of ice having askating surface supported by said fioor, refrigerating means for saidice layer, a source of light located laterally beyond the boundary ofsaid skating surface, and strips of light conducting material positionedbeneath said skating surface and exposed to said source to define markedareas for said rink.

5. An ice skating rink comprising, a skating surface, refrigeratingmeans for said skating surface, a boundary for said surface, a source oflight disposed beyond said boundary and a strip of light conductingmaterial positioned beneath and extending transversely of said skatingsurface to convey light from said source to selected areas of said rink.

6. The rink of claim 5 wherein the strip of light conducting materialextends substantially It is particularly intended that the novel thewidth of the rink and wherein portions of the strip are sheathed toprevent exposure of the light.

7. An ice skating rink comprising, a rink floor, a skating surfacesupported by said floor, a source of light adjacent the boundary of saidskating surface and a strip of light conducting material supported bysaid floor beneath said skating surface and exposed to said source oflight whereby to convey light to selected areas of said skating surface.

8. The combination of claim 7 wherein the rink is an ice hockey skatingrink and the strip of light conducting material is partially sheathedalong its length to expose light in selected areas only whereby todefine the marked line portions of said rink.

9. The combination of claim 1 additionally including a floor of lighttransmitting material and wherein the skating surface is supported bysaid floor.

10. The combination of claim 1 additionally including a floor of lighttransmitting material supporting the skating surface and wherein therefrigerating means includes refrigerant conduits of light transmittingmaterial.

11. The combination of claim 7 additionally including a marked area forthe skating surface and wherein the strip of light conducting materialis disposed adjacent said marked area Whereby to convey light to saidmarked area.

12. The combination of claim 7 wherein the rink is an ice hockey rinkand there are a plurality of light sources and strips of lightconducting material to define marked areas for the rink, selected ofsaid strips having portions thereof sheathed to prevent exposure oflight.

13. The combination of claim 7 wherein the rink is an ice hockey rinkand additionally including hockey rink markings for the skating surface,there being a plurality of light sources and strips of light conductingmlaterial, and

the strips of light conducting material being disposed adjacent saidmarkings whereby to convey light to said markings.

REUBEN J. YOCUM.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,762,383 Booraem June 10, 1930 1,923,807 Asch Aug. 22, 19331,959,616 Derrah May 22, 1934 2,093,6 i2 Nystuem Sept. 21, 19372,157,772 McCann et a1 May 9, 1939 2,162,302 Greene June 13, 19392,225,151 Borba Dec. 17, 1940 2,262,930 Gasper Nov. 18, 1941 2,42%,064Stegeman July 15, 1947 2,444,723 Bowen July 6, 194.8 2,457,619 YocumDec. 28, 1948 2,587,855 Johnson Mar. 4, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS NumberCountry Date 500,566 Germany June 23, 1930 538,799 Great Britain Aug.18, 1941

